Mike Perry is set to return to mixed martial arts on May 16, 2026, when he meets Nate Diaz at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The bout is part of the Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano event.
Perry, 34, has been away from MMA for five years, while Diaz has not fought in more than three years. The matchup gives the card a fight built around two names with long followings and a taste for a brawl, not a methodical return.
Most Valuable Promotions and Netflix are promoting the event, and Perry said he expects the years away to work in his favor. He described Diaz as durable and tough, but said his own training has him feeling sharp, dangerous and targeted.
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The bare-knuckle champion, who currently holds the King of Violence title in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, also promised a fight the crowd will remember. He said he wants to deliver a bloody people's fight and a real BMF-style altercation, one that meets Diaz in the middle and turns violent early.
The tension on this card is straightforward. Perry is trying to prove that time away from MMA has not dulled him, while Diaz is being asked to step back into a fight that rewards toughness as much as timing. That is a hard ask after years out of the cage, and it is why the pairing has the feel of a comeback test for both men rather than a routine booking.
When the cage door closes in Inglewood, the question will not be whether either fighter is willing to trade. It will be whether Perry's five-year hiatus from MMA or Diaz's layoff of more than three years matters more once the punches start landing.
